


Making Sense

by Laylah



Category: Tales of the Abyss
Genre: Gen, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-14
Updated: 2009-11-14
Packaged: 2017-10-02 17:08:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laylah/pseuds/Laylah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At first he's paying attention to what Asch <i>says</i>, and that's not encouraging at all.</p><p>[ending spoilers]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Making Sense

At first he's paying attention to what Asch _says_, and that's not encouraging at all.

"Idiot!" Asch snaps, when he's woken up enough to realize where they are. "Couldn't even get out of here in one piece, could you?"

That isn't fair, Luke thinks, given the shape Asch was in, but he doesn't say so. "I think we could still climb out again," he says hopefully. "It looks like there's a way --"

Asch is already storming off, toward the jagged path that cuts into the cliff face. Luke pulls himself together and thanks Lorelei one more time for making sure they're, well, _not dead_, and then follows as fast as he can. He catches up faster than he thought he would. Maybe Asch still isn't feeling so well.

"Watch where you're going!" Asch barks, when they come around a turn and the rock starts to crumble under Luke's feet. Asch grabs him by the wrist and hauls him back, hard. His grip hurts. "Stupid. It would be just like you to get yourself killed doing something _pointless_ now."

"Sorry," Luke says, rubbing his wrist.

Asch glares. "And stop apologizing!"

A while later, Luke tries, "I bet people will be glad to see us when we get out of here."

"Glad to see you, maybe," Asch mutters, quiet enough that Luke is only just barely sure he heard it right.

He hurries to catch up. "Not just me," he says. "They like you, too, you know. Mom will be so happy we're both okay, and Natalia will --"

"Shut up!" Asch says, whirling around to face him. His voice cracks. "Just -- just shut up!"

He doesn't look mad, though. Luke knows that look, wide-eyed and tense. He's _scared_.

"It's true," Luke says. House Fabre's very stupid genes are also very stubborn, he figures, and Asch needs to hear it whether he wants to or not. "And me. I'm glad."

Asch suddenly finds something really important to stare at on the ground. "You don't make any sense," he says.

But really, Luke thinks, he's the one who _does_ make sense. Asch is the one who keeps talking like he's mad but acting like...well. When they run into the first batch of monsters, Asch tries to put himself between them and Luke, even though Luke is the one who still has the sword. When they need to stop to eat, Asch takes the ingredients away from him and cooks enough fried rice for both of them, and he doesn't even say anything mean when Luke tells him how good it is. And when night comes -- the light doesn't change a lot in the core, but the distant light they've been climbing toward gets dim -- he sighs, and looks up like he really wants to be up there. If Luke pays attention to what Asch _does_, he feels a lot better about this whole thing.

"We'll get there," Luke says, looking up toward the surface far above. They've found a ledge that's wide enough for two people to lie down on, so they'll probably rest here for a while.

"Of course we'll get there," Asch says. "You'd have to be a moron to just give up." He lies down, taking the side nearer to the edge, his back to Luke. "You'd better rest. I don't want you slowing me down tomorrow."

Luke smiles. He's figuring this out. He lies down, too, and thinks about what to say next. Asch's shoulders are hunched up, and sometimes it looks like he shivers a little. "I'm cold," Luke says.

Asch sighs, too loud, like he wants to be really sure Luke knows he's a pain. "Can't you do anything but complain?" he says, and rolls over. He throws an arm over Luke's middle, pressing close enough that they'll be able to share heat. "Now shut up and go to sleep."

"Okay," Luke says. He puts a hand on Asch's arm, to make sure he doesn't try to go anywhere in the middle of the night. "Good night, Asch."

The noise Asch makes doesn't sound a whole lot like an answer, but that's okay. Luke's pretty sure he knows what Asch meant.


End file.
